Weather, clouds, sky, improved airport surfaces

Active Sky – the weather engine

Active Sky (HiFi Simulation Technologies) has been the leading weather engine for FSX and P3D for years. The current versions: Active Sky 2016 (FSX / P3Dv3), and Active Sky For P3Dv4 for the latest version of Prepar3d creates the most realistic weather in the sim. It works with airport METAR (where available) and real-world data for winds and temperatures aloft (globally). Active sky also enhances turbulence in FSX and P3D.

Textures – sky, clouds, water, airport surfaces

I am using TOGA Envtex textures. REX 4 Texture Direct is a good alternative. Both apps replace default textures with their own changing how the sky looks during the day, in mornings, and in afternoon. They also replace textures of clouds, water (ocean and inland) and wave textures. Airport surfaces are enhanced with a selection of textures for runways, taxiways, and aprons (these changes will only appear at airports that are using default textures – most payware airports will not be affected).

Both programs can be supplemented with low-level cloud improvements – REX Soft Clouds or Active Sky Cloud Art (ASCA). You can purchase both apps together with Active Sky or REX 4.

For Envtex I recommend using ASCA. Soft Clouds work best with REX 4.

Currently, I use TOGA Envtex without ASCA. I am waiting for a new product from REX – it’s expected to be released soon.

Vector

openLC

openLC modifies landclass scenery adding correct information about the type of terrain (city, forest, fields, rocky terrain, desert – and much more – there are over 100 terrain types in the sim). For each terrain type, it adds regionally correct textures (for example – rural landscape in Scandinavia will be significantly different from the same terrain type in France).

Tree HD

Regional sceneries

ORBX

Apart from global products, ORBX creates regional sceneries. They started with FTX Australia, which is still one of my favorites (covers Australia and Tasmania). New Zealand is also available (two sceneries for North and South Islands).

All those sceneries are compatible with FSX, P3Dv3, and P3Dv4 (Tongass Fjords requires manual installation in P3Dv4).

Fotosceneries

MegaSceneryEarth is the market leader in this type of products. At this moment they are working on the third version of their photosceneries for the US. Sceneries for the following European countries are available too: Ireland, Great Britain, Germany, Spain, Portugal, Italy, Switzerland.

x4 sceneries use 4 times the resolution (50cm instead of 1m). It seems that these sceneries are no longer in development (several states in the US are available).

Freeware photosceneries

Freeware photosceneries like Blueskyscenery make a good alternative to payware products. The quality is usually a bit lower compared to the same place covered with payware photoscenery, and often the resolution is also lower (2,4m/px in Germany compared with 1m/px of MegaSceneryEarth) but they are worth trying.

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Airports

It’s impossible to write a “must have” list for airports – the choice is mostly dependent on the personal preference. Here I will mention several developers whose sceneries I use or consider (the case of Taxi2Gate and Pacific Island Sim).

ORBX

They do airports too. Mostly smaller general aviation fields but recently they added several major hubs – like Arlanda in Stockholm and San Diego.

Drzewiecki Design

Polish developer that created quality sceneries for almost every IFR airport in Poland. Their Polish Airports packs include 3 or 4 airports each. Kraków (EPKK) and Warsaw-Okęcie (EPWA) are also available. Modlin (EPMO) is included in Warsaw X scenery that covers the whole capital of Poland.

Drzewiecki Design shows interest in other places around the world – they created sceneries for New York, Miami, Washington, Tallin…

29Palms

One of my favorite developers. The team behind Twentynine Palms (USA), Samos (Greece), and Magdeburg (Germany). Currently working on Nuremberg (Germany). Skiathos (published by Aerosoft), and Sumburgh (published by ORBX) are also their creations.

Software add-ons

PFPX

DX10 Fixer for FSX

FSUIPC

The basic version is free and is only needed to for some add-on planes to work correctly. Registered (payware) version adds the ability to configure custom controls and adjust axis sensitivities. Autosave feature is also useful in FSX if you are afraid of crashes.

GSX

Ground services for FSX and P3D. A great add-on for screenshot artists and for anyone who fancies a busy apron.

FS2Crew

Voice add-on for several payware planes. It adds an interactive co-pilot.

AccuFeel

A2A’s add-on that brings some of the features of A2A planes to any plane in FSX. It improves turbulence, adds sounds.